Owls Sweep Major LEC Awards; Place Eight of Eleven Starters on All-Conference Teams

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. –The Keene State field hockey team nearly swept the 2011 All-Little East major awards program this afternoon, when the conference office announced its annual all-conference teams. Senior forward Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year, while classmate back Kerry Howe (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Freshman goalkeeper Caitlin Davino-Draper (Hanover, Mass.) was honored as the Rookie of the Year, while Amy Watson was tabbed the Coach of the Year by her peers.

Eight of KSC's eleven starters were named to All-LEC honors. Coffin, Howe and Davino-Draper joined sophomore Aimee Donaruma (Hampden, Mass.) and senior Aislynn Sherry (Rehoboth, Mass.) with first team All-LEC honors.

Junior Kalin Billert (Center Conway, N.H.) was the lone Owl earning All-LEC 2nd team honors, while senior Alyce Ferenc (Rumney, N.H.) and sophomore Katlyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) rounded out the Owl award winners with third-team All-LEC honors.

Coffin is the seventh Owl in program history to earn the prestigious top offensive player award. The senior from Sugar Hill, N.H. is also making her second-straight appearance on the first-team. Coffin currently ranks among the national leaders in goals per game (19th, 1.05) and points per game (19th, 2.52). She leads the conference circuit in game-winning goals (8), goals (22), and points (53), while sharing the lead in assists (9). Coffin scored at least one marker in 15 of the 21 starts this season, including the national tournament with am eight-match scoring streak. She recorded a season-best eight points on four goals in the Little East Field Hockey Tournament quarterfinals against Southern Maine. Coffin delivered the decisive strike in the semifinal and championship rounds of the conference tournament to help Keene State capture the Little East Field Hockey Championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament field. She was selected as the conference's top offensive weekly performer twice on the campaign.

Howe is the sixth-straight and seventh Owl in program history to be named the top defensive player in the conference. The Atlantic Highlands, N.J. product is making her debut on the All-Little East first-team after earning second squad honors in 2010. Howe anchored one of the top defensive units in the nation, ranking third in shutouts per game (0.610) and 20th in scoring margin (2.19). Keene State sat atop the team standings in scoring margin (2.19) and shutouts (14), while tying Plymouth State for the least amount of goals allowed (24). The Owls limited their opponents to fewer than two markers in 20 matches to boast a 19-1 record. Individually, Howe is tied for the conference lead in defensive saves with eight. She was credited with two defensive stops in three matches, most recently against Western Connecticut on Oct.1. Howe contributed to the offensive rush with nine points on two goals and five assists. She was recently named the Little East Field Hockey Most Outstanding Player as Keene State surrender just one marker in three matches to earn the conference tournament crown.  

Davino-Draper is the second consecutive Owl student-athlete to earn the top rookie award, joining sophomore back Katlyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.). The freshman goalkeeper from Hanover, Mass. is making her first appearance on the All-Little East first-team. Davino-Draper currently ranks amongst the Division III leaders in winning percentage (15th, .826) and goals against average (16th, 1.06). She leads the conference in goals against average (1.06) and shutouts (9), while ranking seventh in save percentage (.774). A starter in 22 of her 23 appearances, Davino-Draper backstopped the Owls to an individual record of 18-4. She held to opponent to one or fewer markers in 18 matches, including a season-high 210-minute, 49-second scoreless streak between Sept. 15 to Sept 21. The rookie netminder posted a season-best 10 saves against Williams College on Sept. 13. Davino-Draper was honored as the Little East Defensive Player of the Week once, while earning the Rookie of the Week three times.

Watson is making her fourth appearance as the Little East Coach of the Year and first since 2004. Under her watchful eye, Watson guided Keene State to the program's eighth Little East Field Hockey Championship this past weekend. The Owls matched the program's single-season wins record with a 19-4 mark, equaling the previous standard set by the 1983 and 2003 squads. Keene State is just the second team in Little East history to navigate through the conference circuit with an 11-0 mark since the league expanded to an 11-match schedule in 2005. Watson earned her 300th career victory at Framingham State with an 8-0 win in the regular-season finale. She mentored eight student-athletes on the All-Little East teams, including five first-team selections. Watson leads Owls in the first round of the NCAA tournament with her first championship tournament victory over Endicott College on Wednesday afternoon.

The Owls will travel to Bowdoin College, the defending national champion and number one ranked team, for an 11 a.m. start on Saturday.